The
alto clarinet is a
woodwind instrument of the
clarinet family. It is a
transposing instrument pitched in the key of E, though instruments in F (and in the 19th century, E) have been made. It is sometimes called a
tenor clarinet. In size it lies between the
soprano clarinet and the
bass clarinet, to which it bears a greater resemblance in that it typically has a straight body (made of
Grenadilla or other
wood, hard
rubber, or
plastic), but a curved neck and bell made of metal. All-metal alto clarinets also exist. In appearance it strongly resembles the
basset horn, but usually differs in three respects: it is pitched a tone lower, it lacks an extended lower range, and it has a wider bore than many basset horns.